PHX Reporter

The intersection of homelessness, substance abuse, and heat-related deaths in Maricopa County is drawing criticism of authorities for lacking a concrete plan to address the underlying issues behind the incremental rise in yearly deaths that occur on the streets.

Recent statistics reveal that a significant portion of heat-related deaths in Maricopa County—45%—occur among homeless individuals, with 65% involving drugs and alcohol. However, Maricopa County's '2024 Heat Relief Efforts' plan lacks specific strategies to mitigate homelessness or substance abuse. 

Kristin Couturier, Senior Public Information Officer for the City of Phoenix, told the PHX Reporter that in response to heat-related deaths, the city has been engaging in additional efforts. 

“For the first time, Phoenix offers two heat respite centers that will be accessible overnight through Sept. 30. Other cooling centers also have extended hours in 2024,” Couturier said. 

However, when asked about why the city is not addressing substance abuse in its annual heat plan given its correlation with the rising death rate, Couturier failed to respond. 

“The City of Phoenix has prioritized creating more indoor shelter than ever before in the last several years, adding 592 new permanent beds in 2022 and 480 temporary beds in 2023,” Couturier said.  

The city's Office of Homeless Solutions has added more beds to accommodate homeless as well as introduced an overnight cooling shelter. 

“The 480 temporary beds are currently serving people in need while the City continues to build permanent solutions, including 790 additional new permanent beds planned to open in 2024 and 2025. You can find all the upcoming and completed shelter projects on our website.” 

Couturier added that data from the 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Homelessness Count shows positive trends. "A significant increase in the number of sheltered individuals in Phoenix and a significant decrease in the number of unsheltered individuals in the city,” Couturier said.  

In 2023, the region saw a scorching heat wave which claimed over 400 lives in metro Phoenix during a 31-day period where temperatures were over 100 degrees every day. The death toll during that period was 645 confirmed heat-related deaths in Maricopa County.

In March, Gov. Katie Hobbs unveiled an "Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan" and appointed the nation's inaugural state "Chief Heat Officer" to address escalating temperatures and associated challenges. In 2022, Arizona recorded 359 deaths directly attributed to heat, along with an additional 671 fatalities linked to heat-related causes, while over 4,325 individuals sought medical assistance for heat-related ailments. 

In 2023, the Hobbs Administration joined the U.S. Climate Alliance. This coalition, which includes 25 governors, for a 26-28% reduction in emissions by 2025 and a 50-52% reduction by 2030. 

The City of Phoenix established its "Chief Heat Officer" position in 2021. 

That position was developed by the Adrienne Arsht Resilience Center, a project of the left-leaning Rockefeller Foundation. The World Economic Forum said the role is designed to “address rising temperatures driven by climate change.”

Hobbs’ declaration of a “heat emergency” in August 2023, U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Phoenix), a candidate for U.S. Senate, introduced legislation to add “extreme heat” to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) list of major disaster qualifying events.